The Ivel Ringing Group was formed in 1990 and currently consists of half a dozen ringers and as many trainees/helpers. We operate at sites across Bedfordshire, some associated with the river Great Ouse, but concentrating on the CES sites as well as catching Mute Swans.

Saturday, 25 April 2009

Less windy and more cloud about. Struggled out on my own. Good job I'd put the Etesia through the plantation 2 days ago - the coppice and herb layer are galloping away (cleared 18 months ago). The cowslips have really got away with more light reaching the floor.

We've now caught 5 of the possible 7 male Blackcaps in this block, and the female is the first of the year. She was not an easy bird and ended up as a '4bracket5'. The photo' shows it much better than when viewed in the hand!

I also caught our first Willies of the year, one either side of the net - since they were singing against one another! Remove one and catch the other (both new birds).

The first Swifts of the year passed over this morning.

There was also a noisy pair of House Sparrows in the very old Blackthorn thicket by the gate.

The CES season must be nearly upon us - the mozzies were out ... and biting!!!

British Trust for Ornithology

Bird ringing in Britain and Ireland is organised and co-ordinated by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).A network of over 2,500 highly trained and licensed volunteers currently ring over 850,000 birds every year. On average only one in every one hundred birds ringed is subsequently recaught elsewhere or found by a member of the public and reported.

Every report of a ringed bird is therefore of extreme value. To report a dead or colour-ringed bird, go to http://www.ring.ac .For more information about ringing in the UK and Eire, please go to http://www.bto.org/. A ringing scheme operates in every European country and most countries of the world.